This invention relates to belt-supported backpacks and more particularly to a belt-supported backpack adapted for carrying a plurality of liquid containers and providing ease of access to said containers while the person wearing the backpack is in motion.
Various types of sports activity in which the participants traverse long distances while staying in continuous motion have become increasingly popular. Persons engaging in such activity, such as long distance runners and joggers and cross country skiers, tend to loose significant amounts of fluids during their marathon events and consequently require some means of replenishing their body fluids during the course of their activity. Since the whole point of their exercise is to continue in motion throughout the length of their activity, it is apparent that they find it highly desirable to have some means of carrying liquids which are easily accessible for drinking while they are engaged in their long distance activity. It is also highly important to them that whatever means is used to carry such liquids must provide minimal interference with their long distance activity.
The requirements for ease of access and minimal interference with activity strongly dictate that the means for carrying the liquids be belt supported. Belt-supported backpacks adapted to be used for a variety of purposes are known. Such packs are designed to be used at either waist or hip level with those particularly designed to be used at hip level frequently being referred to as "fanny" packs. These packs typically have one or more compartments for carrying equipment, supplies, food, etc. and some are touted as permitting ease of compartmental access without removal of the pack from the back. In addition, various types of utility belts have been devised with pockets or small compartments to permit carrying of small articles of equipment. Finally, a variety of belt-supported canteens are known.
None of these belt-supported packs or canteens, however, meet the criteria of ease of access to the liquids while the wearer is in motion or of minimum interference with the activity of the wearer.